The smack down is near

Well, here I sit in my kitchen all alone in my house. Can you see me jumping up and down with joy because of all the freedom I'm experiencing?? Ok, maybe I'm not jumping and it sure does feel weird not having those rug rats on top of me because I really do miss them. (Sssshhhh, don't tell them.)

We are currently into day 4 of the "transition that will cause me to lose my mind" that most parents normally refer to as school has started back.

God is not answering my precious prayers of begging and pleading for patience and I'm just not sure why. Hmmmmm.....You see we are having all sorts of issues that are obviously school related because they have not been around until now.

Ugh. Let me pull my hair out.

Here are the problems:

1. 2 middle schoolers this year.....so much to say here, but I won't.

2. Some serious attitudes out of one of the above mentioned children. Thou shall not kill.

3. Some lying right in my face and we all know it's a big fat lie. SCREAM LOUDLY!

4. Crisis over uniforms and shorts and pants and socks that just don't "feel right." Whatever.

5. Going to Walmart or Target every day for the last 265 days (ok, maybe not) to get one more thing we forgot. SCREAM AGAIN!

6. Throwing money around like it grows on trees for all the above things needed from Walmart or Target.

7. Getting up sostinkinearly is hard on Mom too.

You get the idea. Praying for all the things that I'm lacking and needing as a mom right now. "Come on God. You can do it. I need some help here."

What's the hardest part for you during all this???

Hugs and blessings! Have a great day. And, pray yourself up!

Must change

The other night the whole family was riding in the car to go somewhere. Probably to eat dinner somewhere. All of this summer fun is about to come to a screeching halt. School is starting. Boo hoo. I'm not happy about this transition at all. Can we not just switch the calendar around and make summer a teeny bit longer because this one flew by!

Anyhoo....we were pulling out of the neighborhood and I'm in the passenger seat of my hubs car and I found myself looking at this big box thingy that keeps all of his spare change. I am always amazed at the amount of change he has in his car. A mom with 3 kids in the car would never have that kind of spare change lying around. I'm lucky to have a dollar. We go through some serious cash when it's around. It's really a shame, but I have a feeling I'm not alone on this one.

So, as I'm looking at this change I notice these brown pills all mixed up with the change. Ok. Hmmmmmm....let's see. I ask hubs what the pills are....and I secretly hope it's something good because I've been a tiny bit stressed this past week with end of summer beginning of school and all....but, he tells me it's Advil. Boo.

ADVIL??? I caught myself saying something to him in the next sentence that I really must stop doing. I replayed it back in my head and thought..."SHUT UP WOMAN. YOU SAY THIS MESS ALL THE TIME!" This is what I said to him.....

"Why didn't you just put the Advil here, in this little thing, so it's not all mixed up with the money?

No big deal right???

Yeah, except I say things like that all the time to him.

I might say,"Why don't you make the grilled cheese with Pam so it doesn't stick." I might say, "Why don't you just put all your shirts here so they don't get messed up." I might say, "Why don't you get something to put all these papers in so I don't have to sit on them every time I get in the car."

Blah, blah, blah.

You get the idea.

Don't you think he's screaming in his head, "SHUT UP WOMAN! YOU SAY THIS MESS ALL THE TIME!!!"

And, I think he throws in a "I'M 40 YEARS OLD AND CAN HANDLE LIFE JUST FINE WITHOUT YOU TELLING ME WHAT TO DO!"

I'm making a conscious effort to innocently stop this. I'm getting on my own nerves.

What do you need to work on with your spouse?? Let's be a better spouse and do the right thing.
They are sooooo worth it.

Have a fabulous day!
Hugs and blessings~

Baseball and the beach!

Dad coaching son on 1st base. Always fun to see them "do their thing" together.

Last day on the beach. Boo hoo. I wanna move there. Come on. Please.

We bury the coach in sand when it's all said and done.

Crazy son decided that he and a friend would do that crazy swing thing. I almost died. They LOVED it.

How about the cool sunburn lines??? Pathetic huh? Had a ball hanging out at the "Hangout!"

Super stud surveying the scene.

This would be some serious talking about the game. Or not. Maybe I staged this whole thing.

Crazy kid.

Good lookin' swing. He fouled it off. You can see the ball behind him. ;)

Brothers playing during the game. They hardly "watch" it. They make up stuff and do their own thing

At the end of the world series. Our team came in 6th out of 24 teams. We were happy. We had a blast!!

Summer is winding down for us. Gag. School starts next Monday the 10th. Gag again. So, it will be time to fire the blog back up and see if she still works. It's been a wonderful summer. Routine is a good thing right? Yeah, sure. ;)

Hugs and blessings~

Fran

For the men and dads in our lives

Because I love the families I serve at church sooooo very much...I just had to post this. I'm not bashing the men at all. AT ALL. But, I do believe it is something we need to take seriously within our churches and our homes.

Praying for all the men today.

Now, take a brief glimpse into some real hard truth from one of my favorite pastors.




Praying for all of us.
love,
Fran

Summer, I love you.

This is last years picture, but you get the idea.

I'm busy doing the beach thing....i'll be back. Lots of pix to be posted soon!

Summer is such a beautiful thing! :)

Hugs and blessings~

Dance like noone is watching

This past week was such a fun week! My youngest little rug rat played his heart and soul out during his last baseball tourney of the season. When it was all said and done....this guy was a FCA World Series Champ!!! Yes, he was. :)

He really was beside himself. He's a little more reserved I guess. ;)

I was reminded of something today that I want you to think about....

"Dance like noone is watching."

Dance through the day to day movements of life so full of Christ that you do not care who sees you! Be so full of Him that He is all you care about. It doesn't matter if you can't dance well, just dance.

Remember the Seinfeld episode where Elaine can't dance??? Where she is out there in front of everyone just having fun and simply enjoying the music? That is what I am going to try to do this week. I'm simply going to dance and not care that I may be a little "off" with my rythm. I'm dancing because I love what I'm dancing for.

If you want to take a trip down memory lane....feel free to watch her dance! :)

So, come one now!!! Dance like noone is watching! Live freely and truly for the One who loves you so. Someone might just want to dance with you.

Hugs and blessings~
Fran

Bruised and beaten and just worn slick

I've been known to be the cheerleader type and I feel like I am most days! It's much more fun to be the cheerleader type.

However....

I have been wallering (sp?) in some big fat mess of stuff that I'd really like to make disappear and totally leave my brain, but that ain't happening. Where is our delete button in our brain?

Soooooo.....

Let me introduce to you a few simple things that you may or may not know. I've learned them in this thing called life and it just wasn't pretty. Let's say that I have relearned them and relived them.

I am definitely not going to tell you the whole back story thing so don't ask! Ha! It really doesn't matter anyway.

LIFE LESSONS THAT JUST BEAT YOU UP SOMETIMES!!!

1. The good ole golden rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." In other words...treat people like you want to be treated.

2. DO NOT GOSSIP. I repeat.....DO NOT GOSSIP! We aren't in Jr High anymore. STOP IT!!

3. If you are talking about someone or something....are you just adding to the problem or are you a part of the solution? Please be a part of the solution.

4. There is no "i" in the word team. Whatever team you are on...it takes MANY people to make it successful.

5. Keep your heart and mind in God's Word. How in the world can we live our life for Him, but have no idea how to do it?

6. If you have a question, comment, or criticism about someone or something...just go straight to them. Please don't add fuel to the fire and talk about them. We are here to accomplish great things and make a difference.

7. We are here to build one another up and not tear each other down. Ephesians 4:29

8. Sometimes it's just good to cry it all out.

9. Find yourself a mentor that will speak love and truth over you.

10. Life is just plain hard. How in the world do we get through the hard stuff without Jesus??

I told God today that I was just so very tired. He told me this....deep in my heart.

"This trial you are under will develop some strength, perseverance, and a heavy dose of faith testing."

I told Him while I pouted and cried and carried on....

"But I'm tired and don't want to do this any more."

God laughed and said....

"Do you just believe in me or do you believe me to do what only I can do?"

I'm choosing to hang in there with God and believe Him for who He says He is. I love Him too much. And, He died for me. And, He loves me. He is for me and not against me. And, I'm working for Him, not man. And 1001 other things.

Hang in there friends. No matter how bruised we get, He is all that truly matters.

I'm dusting the dirt off and I'm getting right back on this horse again. All because of Jesus.

Love you so very much!